NBC12 VIEWPOINT: National Mentoring Month

Each year January has been designated by the President of the United States as National Mentoring Month.

I don't want to use my time here to quote a lot of statistics about why mentoring is important and why it works. At the end of my comments, I will give you a website where you will find all of that information and more. I do want to talk to you about why mentoring matters to a child or young person and how it changes lives. Most of us can remember an adult who not only made an important impression on our lives, and also is the person who is partly responsible for why you are the successful person you are today.

That person might have been a parent, a family friend, a teacher or a caring adult who took an interest in your future. Now think of what your childhood or young adult life would have been if you didn't have that caring adult in your life.

In Virginia, there are thousands of young people in need of a caring adult to offer guidance, a listening ear and to just be there during these formative years. There are many ways that you can participate in being an mentor which will match your level of interest and availability of your time.

If you would like to get more information about mentoring and organizations that could use your time and financial support, please go to: vamentoring.org